Rylan felt as if he had undergone a complete metamorphosis.

Like a butterfly escaping its cocoon, the shedding of his previous Trait brought immediate change. Every training session became more effective, as he could now push himself for longer. His concentration improved, as did his memory. Every day was lighter, despite the increasing intensity of the training. In the end, he improved like he had never before in this life.

Two months passed by. It was now the beginning of the fourth month since Evenon’s death.

***

Rylan sat on his bedroom floor, cross-legged and with his eyes closed. Every breath carried with it a special rhythm as the air entered and left his lungs. He was completely calm as he steadied his mind. He could sense Gerard’s presence next to him, a meter or so away.

No words were exchanged. The only sound in the room was that of his breathing; his father’s barrier had been effective.

Breathe.

The whirlpool around his Mana Core revolved, drawing in more mana and, most importantly, affecting the mana already within him. It spun in a maelstrom of energy and power that no one else could behold. The scattered strands joined the whirlpool and empowered it, as if his entire Mana Core were just now clicking into place. His focus didn’t waver for a second. Now, the second part began.

The maelstrom became bigger as strands of mana gathered around it. It became thicker and heavier by the second, starting to resemble real water, even if only slightly. A second, bigger whirlpool was taking shape around the first, connected yet separate. Two parts of the same whole. The outside world disappeared almost completely as Rylan kept only a sliver of awareness of his surroundings. He believed that Gerard would protect him. No thoughts burdened his mind as he focused completely.

It was as if his Mana Core had become a miniature storm. The hurricane grew unceasingly as time ticked by.

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, a second whirlpool fully took shape around the first one, adding depth to both of them as they connected and mixed. The Circles structure had been adapted by the mind and experience of a Sword Saint. The two whirlpools couldn’t be described as separate, but Rylan thought that was a strength. One supported the other as parts of a whole. Slowly, he opened his eyes and let his focus return to normal.

…How curious.

It was as if the world had changed. Colors were more vivid and scents were clearer. He could more easily perceive the details of the environment and see farther. He guessed the same went for sounds, but there was no way to know unless Gerard lowered his barrier. Rylan took in his surroundings for a few seconds, his piercing blue eyes looking deeper than before as he clenched his fist. Mana started flowing through him as he circulated it as usual. The difference was obvious.

Every Circle represents a big power spike.

It went beyond the fact that he would be able to learn new spells. Even though the amount of mana within him had barely changed, his mana circulation was much stronger than before. Even if that was only because of his unique Circles, it still meant that the structures had the ability to streamline and empower his circulation. With a silent nod, Rylan relaxed and willed his Status Window to appear in front of him.

Status Window

Name: Rylan Flameheart

Level: 25

Race: Human (F)

Class: Mage

Profession: none.

Trait: Determined

Stats

Strength: 55

Agility: 56

Endurance: 58

Body: 59

Intelligence: 84

Wisdom: 64

Free Points: 20

Active Skills

Magic Missile (F); Magic Shield (F); Stormcaller Sword Style (S); Mountainpeak Swordsmanship (A); Second Imperial Swordsmanship (B); Falling Snow Steps (A); Earth Grab (F); Earth Spike (E); Firebolt (F); Wind Blades (F); Water Bullets (F); Gust (F); Ray of Frost (F).

Passive Skills

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Mana Core (Second Circle), Sword Handling (E), Stamina (E), Blade Affinity (D), Precision (E), Force (E), Overpower (D), Balance (E), Cutting Edge (D), Persistence (D), Mana Affinity (E), Faster Casting (D), Lionheart (C).

Hybrid Skills

Sword Mastery (Master), Mana Cultivation (Beginner).

Titles

Apprentice Mage; Reincarnator; Swordmaster; Intermediate Monster Slayer; Hard-working; Duelist; Swordseeker; King of Steel; Dancer of the Crescent Blade.

Rylan smiled with satisfaction at his Status Window. The shedding of his Weak-willed Trait had created a chain reaction that had sent him to new heights. Under strict training that followed the best methods he knew for someone at his level, his physical stats had grown considerably. The first thing he looked at with affection wasn’t his stats, however. The information about his Trait appeared in front of his eyes.

[Trait

Determined: you have overcome your limits with nothing but sheer determination. Pushed to the brink, you did not break. You rose anew from the ashes of the person you used to be, never to return. Your powerful will has altered your life’s course.

Effects: increases mental resistance, including resistance to Mind and Illusion spells. Increases the effectiveness of training the longer it goes on and increases the ability to persevere through challenges. Increases performance under pressure.]

I just don’t get tired of looking at it.

Not only had he gotten rid of a negative Trait, but he had also even gotten a pretty good positive one. Most importantly, it was the first thing that he had truly achieved on his own in this life. This thought filled him with pride and made his heart race. It wasn’t arrogance; he was simply proud of how far he’d come from a person who wasn’t worth anything. Without relying on Roland’s memories, he pushed through adversity and changed his Trait as ‘Rylan.’ The biggest evidence of this change was that the Wastrel and Good-for-Nothing Titles had disappeared.

I’m going to keep at it.

Until he reached the peak. Until he atoned for Roland’s mistakes. Until he could protect his family and himself from whatever came. He would keep going. His training was only just starting.

Rylan evaluated his Status Window. The new Active Skills were the spells that Gerard had taught him. There had been no need to learn more sword styles, since he already had the Stormcaller Sword Style and the Mountainpeak Swordsmanship.

There are a lot Passive Skills.

Still, most could help him both with swordsmanship and with magic. Overpower, for example, increased his attack speed and Strength by a few percentages the longer a fight went on and the more attacks he connected. As he merged and upgraded them, their number would sort itself out. His Mana Core Skill’s description proved that he’d successfully advanced to the Second Circle, even if in his own way. Rylan narrowed his eyes at his Hybrid Skills. The Mana Cultivation Skill had appeared a few weeks ago and changed his way of looking at his mana circulation entirely.

[Passive Skill

Mana Cultivation (Beginner): you were without guidance, but never lost. Alone, you discovered a new way of wielding mana based on the memories of a past life, awakening new possibilities. Your legend will go down in history, Sword Saint.

Effects: improves all aspects of mana circulation. Allows mana circulation to empower weapons. Increases mana circulation’s limits. Higher proficiency results in greater effects.]

In his eyes, it was one of the most important additions to his Status Window. It represented the System’s acknowledgment of the method he’d created. However, didn’t that also mean that others in this world could know about it?

I want to meet others with Mana Cultivation.

He was certain that there were others out there. Neither he nor Gerard had heard of any, but that didn’t mean they didn’t exist. His knowledge was limited, after all, and the others could be in hiding. The thought that there was an ancient hermit somewhere who’d reached the peak of Mana Cultivation was amusing to him. At the same time, he was filled with anticipation. Just how high could this path take him, especially if he awakened Aura and united the two? The System only confirmed that he was on the right track, even if it wasn’t the common one.

His gaze turned to his Titles. The three new ones were related to his abilities as a swordsman and were the ones he had prioritized during his training, based on Roland’s memories. From them, he could build up to others. They could only be described as ‘necessary.’ Still, he was a bit bothered by the lack of Titles related to magic.

“So? Are you in the Second Circle now?”

Gerard’s anxious voice dragged him out of his thoughts. Rylan smiled at his father, who looked as if he was about to grab Rylan by the collar and shake the answers out of him.

“Yeah, I am. The Status Window confirmed it,” he replied in a calm tone. Gerard let out a deep breath, putting his hand over his chest.

“Goddamn it. Why did you go silent out of nowhere? I thought there was something wrong,” his father said in a reproaching tone.

Rylan scratched the back of his head. He’d accidentally lost himself in contemplation while looking at his Status Window. It had only happened because he felt comfortable around Gerard. Otherwise, he would have never lowered his guard that much.

“Can I enter the capital’s Royal Magic Academy at the Second Circle?” Rylan asked with a serious expression, but Gerard immediately shook his head.

“No way. You’d need to be at the Third Circle or at least close to it, given your age. That, or be very, very good at something, beyond pretty much all your peers. Why not go for a Magic Academy within Cantavega?”

Rylan scoffed.

“From what you’ve told me, they don’t compare to the capital’s. Besides, I can become outstanding at something too.”

Gerard raised an eyebrow.

“Like what?”

“Combat,” Rylan said with a grin. Gerard blinked, then rubbed his beard with a pensive expression.

“…Yeah, actually. Of course, you’re most used to swordsmanship, but if we can bring your magical combat skills to even a fraction of that…”

Gerard had experienced his fighting ability firsthand. He knew of Rylan’s potential.

“I can use my past life’s memories and experience to bridge the gap between Circles.”

At the First Circle, Rylan had fought and killed a Fourth Circle Mage capable of dual casting, who had also wielded a powerful weapon, though he'd needed Gerard's help at a critical moment. Roland’s memories had proven themselves capable of making up for his lacking stats.

And I’m much stronger than back then.

Gerard and Rylan nodded at the same time.

“From now on, we’re going to focus the most on magical combat. You’ll be restricted to using magic alone whenever we spar,” Gerard stated with a serious expression. "Do know that you'll probably need to be first place in whatever combat-related trials the exam throws at you."

Rylan smiled. From now on, the results of his previous training would show themselves. He didn't doubt his ability to secure first place. However, there was one last thing that still needed some attention. As if he could read his mind, Gerard spoke.

“What about the Class Evolution?”